Fence-post.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDRICK c. scHwEM, or TRiPoLI, iowa.

FENCE-POST.

To LZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDRICK C. ScHwEM, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Tripoli, Bremer county, Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Posts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to fence-posts; and the object of my invention is to not only provide a construction which will not be affected by the action of the weather, but will in addition possess such an improved type of .clipfasteners for the fence-wires as will not only firmly secure the same in position when placed, but will permit of such wires being easily introduced or removed when necessary.

Another important improvement is in the provision of means for conveying away into the damp stratum of the soil any unusual charge of electricity which may accumulate upon the fence-wires as a result of a lightning discharge into them.

These objects I have effected by the means which are hereinafter described and claimed and which are illustrated in the drawings hereto annexed, in which- Figure l is a front elevation of my imi proved fence-post, partially in section. Fig.

2 is a side elevation of the same, and Fig. 3 is a detail view of my improved wire-clip.-

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

My invention consists, essentially, of a concrete or cement base of the form of a truncated cone and into which an angle-bar is vertically set, the lower end of said bar being embedded in the concrete. The angle-bar a is so used in order to provide opposing edges in which the holes b may be pierced for the reception of the wire-clips c. The clips c are constructed of one ieee of wire bent into a W-shaped form, a though that articular form may be considerably varie without changing the scope of my invention, which consists in the bending inward and then upward of the middle portion of the depending loop of said clip. As shown in Fig. 3, this upward bending of the inner loop forms the clip into a hook which when its ends are inserted in the holes l) tends to assume a vertical position, at which time said hook lies within or beyond the plane in which the edges of the angle-bar a lie, thus providing what is practically a closed clip for a fence-wire under Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 6, 1905. Serial No. 268.419.

Patented May 8, 1906.

strain. In use as many clips c are used as vmay be necessary to hold a predetermined number of strands of horizontally-placed fence-wire, and the clips are successively raised to a horizontal position, asl indicated by the dotted lines at the upper part of Fig.

2, when the fence-wire may be readily placed within the loop of the clip, when its own weight and pressure under strain will cause said clip to rotate inward to its fastened position. In its closed position the fence-wire cannot be removed from said clip without re versing the process and rotating the clip outward and upward, when the wire may be withdrawn. In practice the base d is so set in the earth as to project but slightly above it, and being formed of concrete is then practically indestructible, as well as firmly set because of its conical form. The metallic upright or (post a has a separate wire e connected to it an passed downward through the base d to project a suitable distance into the moist stratum of earth beneath to act as a conductor of electricity from the fence-wires. The post a is placed so that its concave side faces inward or toward the field to be inclosed, in which position the fence-wires resist pressure from within such as might be caused by reason of cattle pushing against them.

The metallic posts a may be protected by any approved kind of unoXidizable coating as to render them entirely free from corrosion by the action of the weather.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A fence-post, comprising a concrete base, an angle-bar post embedded therein and provided with opposite vertical series of perforations near its vertical edges, and movable inwardly-bent hooked wire-clips whose ends are pivoted in oppositely-placed perfo rations in the opposite flanges of said post and being adapted to suspend and hold fencewires from displacement in any direction than vertically upward.

2. Afence-post, comprising a conical nonconducting concrete base, an angle-bar post of conducting material embedded therein and provided with opposite vertical series of perforations near its vertical edges, a conducting-wire in electrical contact with said post extending through said non-conducting base and projecting therefrom its lower surface IOO adapted to convey electrical currents to the l Signed at Tripoli, Iowa, this 30th day of surrounding earth7 and movable inwardly- June, 1905. bent hooked Wire-clips Whose ends are pivoted in oppositely-placed perforations in said post and being adapted to suspend and hold fence- Witnesses: Wires from displacement in any direction H. J WYNHOFF, than vertically upward. JOHN M., HAZLITT.

FREDRICK C. SCHWEM. 

